The Arabian Nights [599]
The emperor, in short, conceived so great a kindness for the two princes, that he invited them immediately to make him a visit: to which prince Bahman replied, "Your majesty does us an honour we do not deserve; and we beg you will excuse us."
The emperor, who could not comprehend what reason the princes could have to refuse this token of his favour, pressed them to tell him why they excused themselves. "Sir," said prince Bahman, "we have a sister younger than ourselves, with whom we live in such perfect union, that we undertake nothing before we consult her, nor she any thing without asking our advice." "I commend your brotherly affection," answered the emperor. "Consult your sister, meet me here tomorrow, and give me an answer."
The princes went home, but neglected to speak of their adventure in meeting the emperor, and hunting with him, and also of the honour he had done them, by asking them to go home with him; yet did not the next morning fail to meet him at the place appointed. "Well," said the emperor, "have you spoken to your sister? And has she consented to the pleasure I expect of seeing you?" The two princes looked at each other and blushed. "Sir," said prince Bahman, "we beg your majesty to excuse us: for both my brother and I forgot." "Then remember to-day," replied the emperor, "and be sure to bring me an answer to-morrow."
The princes were guilty of the same fault a second time, and the emperor was so good-natured as to forgive their negligence; but to prevent their forgetfulness the third time, he pulled three little golden balls out of a purse, and put them into prince Bahman's bosom. "These balls," said he, smiling, "will prevent your forgetting a third time what I wish you to do for my sake; since the noise they will make by falling on the floor, when you undress, will remind you, if you do not recollect it before." The event happened just as the emperor foresaw; and without these balls the princes had not thought of speaking to their sister of this affair. For as prince Bahman unloosed his girdle to go to bed the balls dropped on the floor, upon which he ran into prince Perviz's chamber, when both went into the princess Perie-zadeh's apartment, and after they had asked her pardon for coming at so unseasonable a time, they told her all the circumstances of their meeting the emperor.
The princess was somewhat surprised at this intelligence. "Your meeting with the emperor," said she, "is happy and honourable, and may in the end be highly advantageous to you, but it is very disagreeable and distrustful to me. It was on my account, I know, you refused the emperor, and I am infinitely obliged to you for doing so. I know by this your affection is equal to my own, since you would rather be guilty of incivility towards the emperor than violate the brotherly union we have sworn to each other. You judge right, for if you had once gone you would insensibly have been engaged to leave me, to devote yourselves to him. But do you think it an easy matter absolutely to refuse the emperor what he seems so earnestly to desire? Monarchs will be obeyed in their desires, and it may be dangerous to oppose them; therefore, if to follow my inclination I should dissuade you from shewing the complaisance he expects from you, it may expose you to his resentment, and may render myself and you miserable. These are my sentiments: but before we conclude upon any thing let us consult the speaking bird, and hear what he says; he is penetrating, and has promised his assistance in all difficulties."
The princess sent for the cage, and after she had related the circumstances to the bird in the presence of her brothers, asked him what they should do in this perplexity? The bird answered, "The princes your brothers must conform to the emperor's pleasure, and in their turn invite him to